This invention generally relates to crossbows, and more particularly, to an improved crossbow construction which reduces vibrations transmitted to the barrel of the crossbow when firing.
Crossbows in general have been used for many years as a weapon for hunting, fishing, and for target shooting. Crossbow designs have been improved to increase the force with which an arrow is shot, with crossbow designs mimicking compound archery bows. In the compound design, pulleys, wheels, or cams are provided at the tips of the bow limbs associated with the crossbow, having the bowstring supported such that when it is drawn, the draw force against the bow limbs will build to a maximum force and thereafter fall off as the crossbow is fully drawn to ease cocking of the crossbow. The compound design allows greater tension to be imparted to the bow limbs, thereby increasing the force with which an arrow is propelled by the bowstring.
Although the compound design is desirable to increase the force imparted to an arrow shot from the crossbow, drawing of the bowstring to the cocked position stores a tremendous amount of energy within the bow limbs, which is released very quickly upon activation of the crossbow trigger to release the drawn bowstring from its cocked position. To withstand the tremendous forces imposed upon the crossbow limbs, such limbs have been constructed of composite materials having significant strength and flexibility. The crossbow limbs are generally mounted to a riser block formed of a metal, with the riser block then mounted onto the barrel of the crossbow. As significant force is applied to the crossbow barrel when the crossbow is cocked, the barrel itself may be formed of a metal, such that the entire assembly is strong and durable. In such a configuration, it has been found that as the stored energy in the crossbow limbs is released upon shooting of the crossbow, vibrations in the crossbow limbs are transmitted directly to the riser block to which they are attached, and into the barrel of the crossbow. During shooting, a portion of the barrel is used for supporting the crossbow for firing, and the significant vibrations of the crossbow limbs occurring during firing of the crossbow are transmitted to the user via the barrel as well as the entire stock of the crossbow. Such vibrations are undesirable, and can be extremely unpleasant to the user, particularly where the crossbow is shot a number of times. The firing of the crossbow also has heretofore created high levels of noise, which is also undesirable.
Based upon the foregoing, it would be desirable to reduce vibrations transmitted from the crossbow limbs to the barrel and other portions of the crossbow upon firing thereof. It would also be desirable to reduce the levels of noise generated upon firing of the crossbow.